The present invention relates to fire fighting apparatus.
A long time ago, fire fighting was left up to the property owner. In towns and other communities where homeowners lived in a neighborhoodxe2x80x94and where there was a greater risk of fires spreading to neighboring homesxe2x80x94neighbors would pitch in to help put out a fire. When a home caught fire, neighbors would form bucket brigades, lines of people that passed a series of bucketsxe2x80x94from a water source to a fire. Eventually, private fire fighting organizations developed that would put out fires for a fee using private pumping equipment. The home owner would have to negotiate the price for putting out his fire while the fire raged. This approach gave way to volunteer fire companies and municipal fire departments that are responsible for putting out fires whenever they occur in the community they serve and look to that community as a whole for financial support.
Nonetheless, not all homes, businesses, factories and properties are equally served by fire departments. In particular, rural homes and farms may be miles from fire departments. Municipal water supplies may not serve homeowners in remote areas. Consequently, as a practical matter for those who live in the country, fire fighting is left up to the property owner.
In some cases, those living in rural areas intentionally start fires, for example, in clearing land. It is foreseeable that these fires might get out of control. Although it will always be clear that a fire has gotten out of control, it is not always so clear that a fire will get out of control in advance. Furthermore, the shift from a controlled burn to an out of control fire may happen quickly. By the time fire fighting help arrives, containment may be much more difficult because of the fire""s momentum. Prudent foresight dictates that those conducting a controlled burn be prepared in case the fire starts getting out of control.
Self-help in putting out fires is addressed by use of simple fire extinguishers which are small tanks that carry fire suppressant under pressure. These tanks are intended to be relatively light weight so that they can be quickly carried to the scene of a fire. For small fires such as kitchen fires and some automotive fires, they work well. For larger fires, they are simply inadequate.
There is thus a need for a way for private homes not adequately served by volunteer fire companies and municipal fire departments to cope with fires.
According to its major aspects and briefly recited, the present invention is a fire fighting apparatus for private use. It is relatively mobile so that a user can wheel it into position in the event of a fire and bring its fire-fighting capabilities to bear on a fire. However, it can alternatively be installed in a plant for industrial use or in the home for home use, if desired. The apparatus includes a first tank for holding a quantity of water and a second tank for holding a suitable quantity of a foaming agent within the same container, a pump connected to the tank, a gasoline engine for driving the pump, hoses and valves for directing the fire suppressing foamed water at a fire and drawing additional water from a local source and a hose and valve system.
The present invention also includes a spray bar that is coupled to the present fire fighting apparatus. The spray bar can have one or more nozzles attached to it that can each direct a path of foam or fire blocking gel at least one foot wide. Four nozzles can provide a fire-blocking path six feet wide for example to establish a barrier against a brush fire.
The spray bar is an important feature of the present invention. It helps to stop the advance of a fire by creating a barrier to that advancing fire. The capability to adjust the width and depth of the barrier is a related feature of the present invention and gives it additional flexibility.
A feature of the present fire fighting unit is the juxtaposition of the first tank with the water and a second tank with foaming agent in a small mobile unit. The two tanks cooperate to provide much more fire suppressant than would be possible in a fire extinguisher but is smaller than a fire engine. Thus, the present fire fighting unit is useful in a greater variety of situations where a fire must be extinguished than would be a conventional fire extinguisher and yet more practical than a fire engine in many others.
Another feature of the present invention is the combination of a pump and small gasoline engine. While conventional fire extinguishers rely on internal pressure to deliver fire suppressant, the present invention uses a pump powered by a gasoline engine to deliver pressure and volume of water at a greater power level over a longer period of time. This capability enables the user to remain at a greater distance from a fire for a longer time while still delivering the fire suppressing foam.
Yet another feature of the present invention is the capability by suitable use of its hose and valving system to replenish the water used from the first tank while still fighting the fire. Regardless of the size of the first tank, for some fires, the water in the first tank will be exhausted before the fire is out unless the water is replenished. By enabling the first tank to be replenished by the pump while the pump continues to deliver water to the fire, the unit provides uninterrupted fire fighting capability until the last embers are out.
An advantage of the present invention is that it can be put into position as part of the to preparations for starting an intentional fire. In the event the fire seems to be getting out of hand, the unit can be started in an attempt to contain it without having to summon a fire department or to limit damage caused by the initial stages of the fire while waiting for assistance. Timely action with the present apparatus may obviate the need for such a summons and prevent injuries or limit damage to property while a fire department is responding.
The present invention can also be used to fight fires on the interior of a residence or business, including, for example a warehouse or storage building, which is a particular advantage of the present invention.
Still another advantage of the present invention is the use of simplified structure and quickly disconnectable hoses and conduits so that the device can be set up and taken down quickly and completely, to be used separately from the tank, such as, for example, in the case of a flooding basement.
The use of internal baffle plates to minimize the sloshing of water in the tank is also an important feature of the present invention. These plates make it easier to haul and position the present apparatus when it is full or nearly full of water or when used for transporting or carrying other liquids such as gels, gasoline, diesel fuel, or other products in a liquid state.
Finally, the present unit has commercial applications in addition to private ones. These units can be carried in the bed of pickup trucks and delivered quickly for use in fighting brush fires and other smaller fires. It can be used in industrial settings where fires can start easily or spread quickly, especially those where fire engines might not be able to maneuver easily, such as parking garages and warehouses.
Other features and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in fire fighting from a careful reading of the Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiment accompanied by the following drawings.